matrimonial

Meanings

1. 1
   adj

   relating to marriage or to the relationship between married partners

   The solicitor specialized in matrimonial disputes and divorce settlements.

2. 2
   noun

   a personal advertisement seeking a marriage partner; dated

   The newspaper once printed matrimonials beside its other classified advertisements.

Borrowed from Middle French matrimonial, from Latin matrimonialis, based on matrimonium, "marriage." The Latin noun combines mater, "mother," with a suffix denoting a state or condition, reflecting Roman marriage as a social institution connected with legitimate motherhood.

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